Day Trippin' › Texas › From San Antonio
From San Antonio, the River Walk, the Alamo and the Missions are minutes away, SeaWorld and Six Flags Fiesta Texas under 25 minutes, Natural Bridge Caverns about half an hour, the Comal River under 40, and Fredericksburg a little over an hour. The best day trips from San Antonio, by drive time.
76 places within a 3-hour drive, by real roads.
Cave · 31 min northeast
Big show cave near New Braunfels named for the natural limestone bridge at its entrance. Two guided cavern tours plus zip lines, a maze and gem mining above ground.
Theme park · 37 min northeast
A big riverside waterpark in New Braunfels with about 45 rivers, rides and slides in four sections, each with a lazy river and kids' area.
Town · 38 min northeast
A 15-acre historic district on the Guadalupe River in New Braunfels, with old township buildings, local shops, food and free live music daily.
Historic site · 26 min west
A historic inn on five shady acres by the Medina River in Castroville, the Little Alsace of Texas, with an exhibit hall and rooms for overnight stays.
Zoo · 30 min northeast
A drive-through safari park where you drive your own car through 500 acres and feed animals from about 40 species. It sits next to Natural Bridge Caverns.
Swimming · 50 min north
A small park along a mile of the spring-fed Blanco River in the town of Blanco, with swimming, a shallow wading pool for kids and shore fishing.
Family fun · 50 min northeast
Glass-bottom boat tours on Spring Lake in San Marcos, a tradition since 1947, run by Texas State University's Meadows Center.
Town · 55 min northwest
A small Hill Country town that calls itself the Cowboy Capital of the World, with dude ranches, rodeos and horseback riding.
Town · 1 hr 7 min north
A Hill Country town founded in 1846 by German settlers, known for German food, history museums, more than 150 shops and nearly 100 wineries nearby.
State park · 1 hr 31 min north
A huge 425-foot pink granite dome north of Fredericksburg with about 22 miles of trails, rock climbing and dark night skies. The short, steep Summit Trail gives wide Hill Country views.
Swimming · 1 hr 36 min north
A swimming hole under a roughly 50-foot waterfall in a box canyon west of Austin. A short, steep, rocky trail leads down to it.
Swimming · 1 hr 17 min northeast
A three-acre spring-fed pool in Austin's Zilker Park that stays around 68-70 degrees all year. It is home to the endangered Barton Springs salamander.
Wildlife refuge · 1 hr 3 min northwest
An old railroad tunnel near Fredericksburg where up to 3 million Mexican free-tailed bats fly out at dusk from May to October.
Family fun · 1 hr 12 min northeast
284 acres of native Texas gardens and trails in south Austin, run by the University of Texas.
Museum · 1 hr 15 min northeast
Three floors of exhibits on Texas history near the State Capitol in Austin, with an IMAX theater.
Bike trail · 1 hr 15 min northeast
A 2.8-mile hard-surfaced trail inside McKinney Falls State Park that suits road bikes, strollers and easy walks.
Family fun · 2 hr 39 min northeast
Busy shopping and food complex in Waco with shops, places to eat and a big turf lawn.
Museum · 2 hr 4 min southeast
A World War II aircraft carrier docked on Corpus Christi Bay, with planes on the flight deck, a flight simulator and a 3D theater.
Zoo · 2 hr 5 min southeast
A big aquarium on North Beach in Corpus Christi, with dolphins, sharks and a sea turtle rescue center.
State park · 2 hr 11 min east
Shady park on the Brazos River about 50 minutes west of Houston, with five miles of hiking and biking trails near historic San Felipe.
Town · 2 hr 11 min southwest
A border city on the Rio Grande with a historic downtown of Spanish colonial buildings, murals and San Agustin Plaza.
Lake · 2 hr 16 min southwest
A 1,680-acre lake on the east side of Laredo with a swim area, boating, fishing and hike and mountain bike trails.
National park · 2 hr 47 min northeast
See mammoth fossils left where they were found, on a guided tour of the dig shelter in Waco.
Bike trail · 2 hr 47 min east
Houston bayou park with trails for walking and biking, the historic Cistern, kayak and bike rentals and the Johnny Steele Dog Park.
Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP 78205 (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner). Facts checked against official sites; passes and hours change, so check before you go.